A warm up is an exercise that raises your body temperature in preparation for exercise.
This warms the muscles to avoid any sudden jerks or pulls.
One technique is to do five minutes of light cardio, such as walking on the treadmill, before stretching.
The second technique relies on an aggressive warm up by doing some dynamic exercises like bending and reaching or by walking briskly around the court for about fifteen minutes.
The goal of a warm-up is to prepare your body for more intense activity so you can prevent injury and perform better during gameplay.
What distinguishes active isolated stretching from other stretching exercises?
The main aspect that can be called distinguishing active isolated stretching from other stretching exercises is the range of motion.
In active isolated stretches, you use your own body weight to stretch muscles. Active isolated stretches also have a slow pace and are not intended to cause pain in the targeted area.
Other than that, these exercises are like any other form of stretching .
They are also passive stretches which means that they utilize a passive muscle stretch rather than an active muscular contraction to produce movement in the body’s musculature .
Some Pre and Post Workout Stretching Exercises for sports player :
1. The single-leg glute bridge
It is a great glute-activation movement that can be performed at the end of a workout in order to enhance the firing patterns of your glutes and hamstrings.
Stand on one leg. Bring the other knee up towards your chest while holding your arms straight out in front of you (think Superman flying pose).
Hold this position for 5 seconds then lower back down. Do 10 reps on each leg with 8 sets total.
2. The deep lunge stretch
This stretch is a great way to increase hamstring flexibility and improve lower body strength. Hip flexor stretches like the deep lunge stretch can help unlock your knee injury.
This will, in turn, allow you to work on strengthening your hamstrings and glutes without worrying about reinjuring your knees.
You’ll be in a deep lunge position with one knee in front of you and the other leg straight behind you.
Keep your hands on your leg and lean forward a bit as you lower down to full range of motion . Hold for 30 seconds, one leg at a time (10 per leg). Do three sets.
3. The side lunge
This is an excellent stretch for knee health and overall lower body strength. You’ll be doing a side lunge with one leg.
Keep the torso straight up and down, hold at the bottom for 10 seconds, and do 10 reps on each leg (20 total). Do 3 sets of these.
4. The quad stretch with a belt
Hold the belt behind your back and squat down towards the ground until you feel the stretch on your quadriceps .
Hold the stretch and then come back up to standing. Do this for 8 sets with 10 reps per set (80 total). Repeat this exercise every day.
5. The plank
A deep squat pose is a great way to activate the glutes and intensify their strength . The plank exercise is just like a deep squat with the difference that you hold your hands in between your shoulder blades while you perform this exercise .
Hold this stretch for 20 seconds, one side at a time (10 per side). Do 3 sets.
6. The hip abductors stretch
This stretch helps elongate the hip flexors , which are muscles that flex the knee joint and extend the hip joint .
The adductors help move your legs toward each other, opening and closing your thighs. The hip abductors, also called the gluteus medius, move your legs away from each other.
This exercise will help as you open and close your thighs while running.
You’ll be standing on one leg while holding onto something for balance. Keep your leg straight out in front of you with your hands on your thigh .
Keep that leg straight for 20 seconds per leg (10 total). Do 3 sets.
7. The hamstrings stretch with a belt
Stand tall and hold a belt against the wall in front of you. Place one foot up on the wall and lean forward until you feel the stretch in your hamstrings .
Hold for 30 seconds and then switch to the other leg.
8. The straight-leg wall squat
This is a variation of the side lunge which emphasizes the glutes and hamstrings . Stand with your hands against the wall and your feet far out in front of you .
Lean into the wall until you feel a stretch in your glutes and hamstrings . Hold for 20 seconds per leg (10 total). Do 3 sets.
